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Entrepreneurs, close your eyes. You’ve gone through the pain of
starting a business and now it’s a reality. But it’s time for a
hard truth: if you don’t have an athlete mentality, your
company’s not going to make it. Why? Because successful
entrepreneurs and successful professional athletes are the same
breed. Both types of individuals thrive on passion, tenacity and
self-confidence, and they need to be committed to pushing the
limits. Having the right personality type is only half the
battle.

1. You need a great team, coaches and
cheerleaders. I’m not referring to your VP of
finance, product and marketing, though the right people in those
positions can certainly help your business. A great team is the
people in your personal circle that make you successful, like
personal assistants and partners. Coaches can come in the form of
advisors and mentors. You can bounce issues off of these people,
which helps with taking a thoughtful approach. People who are
always on your side (cheerleaders) are also important.

2. You have to take care of yourself mentally and
physically. Speaking of cheerleaders, you’re going
to need someone to vent to and it’s tempting for people to turn
to their friends or spouse. Don’t do this because, chances are,
you’ll burn them out. Instead, hire a professional. For some
people, this is a therapist; for others, it might be a personal
trainer. Whatever the case, you need to take care of yourself.
The pace of a startup is simply not sustainable in the long term
without mental and physical maintenance.

3. When you’re weakest, people will try to take
advantage. As your creation evolves, you will
attract many different types of people. Most of us work in
solitude for many years; after a few years of neglect, you’ll be
dying for attention, whether that is from potential partners or
new employees. When you’re at your weakest, companies will offer
you unfair revenue splits; potential employees will want big
titles and equity at your company; and investors will want to
control your company. Be aware that it can be difficult to
measure people’s intent when you’re most excited about your new
business (and see above about bouncing ideas off of your team).

4. In most cases, you are your biggest
obstacle. There are countless examples of
professional athletes who find themselves in press conferences
defending or apologizing for poor decisions. While the mistakes
of entrepreneurs are often of a different nature, they are no
less responsible for us getting in our own way. One of the main
mistakes we make is the failure to evolve. When your head’s down
trying to grow your business, it’s easy to miss the fact that
your business is outpacing your skill set. It’s the hardest part
of the job, but it’s critical that you constantly and consciously
evolve.

5. Those who do the best in the long run maintain
control. If you want to stay in the game for the
long haul, the best way to ensure this is to maintain control.
That includes control of yourself, your composure and your
company. Don’t get overzealous when someone finally wants to
partner with you, and don’t be easily seduced. Maintaining
control lets you be in charge of your destiny. Ultimately, if you
are calibrated and composed, you will always know what’s best for
your company.